Extension ladder support



May 24, 1932. J. c. ADAMS EXTENSION LADDER SUPPORT Filed March 7, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l y 1932- J. c. ADAMS EXTENSION LADDER SUPPORT Filed March 7, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented May 24, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES C. ADAMS, OF 'WILLSHIRE, OHIO EXTENSION LADDER SUPPORT Application filed March 7, 1930. Serial No. 434,126.

This invention relates to new and useful such strip being secured to the lower end of improvements in ladders, and particularly one of the side rails 15, of the lowermost to extension ladders. section 16, of the extension ladder 17 Ex- The principalobject of-the invention is to tending between the inner ends of the chanprovide an extension ladder which is adapted nel members, and having its ends bent at 55 to be supported on a vehicle, whereby to perright angles, and disposed in the said chanmit use of the ladder at places where there nels, is a bar 18, and on the outer face of are no objects against which to rest the upeach of said members 13, is the upper end of per end of the ladder, such as telephone or a leg 19, bolts or rivets 20 being disposed telegraph wires, between the poles. through the said parts, whereby to form a 6 Another object is to provide a device of rigid frame end. The lower ends of the this character which is adapted to be used legs 19 receive the ends of a transverse axle on either side of the vehicle, or at the rear 21, and disposed over the axle is an inverted thereof. U-shaped plate 22. Disposed through the in- Another object is to provide novel and imtermediate opening 12, of the bottom of the 55 proved means for changing the angle of in vehicle box, is a large bolt 23,the lower end clination of the ladder, when the same is in of which has a coil spring 24, bearing against extended position. the lower face of said bottom, and having the Another object is to provide novel and imwasher 25, and nut 26 thereon. The upper proved means for bracing the extended ladend of this bolt is provided with an eye 27, 70 der. which is disposed between the intermediate Other objects and advantages will be apportions of the sides of the plate 22, which parent from the following description when alines with transverse openings insaid plate taken in connection with the accompanying to receive a securing bolt 28 therethrough,

drawings. whereby said frame end is properly held in 75 In the drawings: place. On each end of the axle 21 is a wheel Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device 21, which is adapted to run on the bottom 10,

in extended position, the end-gate of the veso that the support may be rotated to prohicle being removed to show the carriage or ject from either side, or from the rear of the 59 support of the ladder. box of the vehicle. Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same. Disposed transversely of the support, and

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical transverse having its ends journaled in the members 13, sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 2. is a shaft 29, on which is secured the sprocket Figure 4 is a vertical sectional detail view wheel 30, and supported in said members 13,

on the line H of Figure 2. at a suitable distance outwardly of the shaft 85 Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectlonal 29, is a second shaft 31. Trained around the view on the line 5-5 of Figure 2. said sprocket wheel, and the second shaft 31,

Referring particularly to the accompanyis a sprocket chain 32. On one end of the ing drawings, 10 represents the bottom, and shaft 31 is a crank handle 33, by means of l1.the sides of the box of an automobile which the shafts may be rotated. Slidable in 90 truck, in connection with which the present the channels of the members 13 is a frame 33, invention is adapted for use. Formed in the which includes a transverse bar 34, the ends bottom 10, transversely alined with respect of which are bent into angular U-sha-pe, as i to the vehicle, are the openings 12, to which at 35, for slidable movement in the channels reference will be made later herein. of the members13. Disposed through the Disposed in parallel relation are two cha-nframe, and a link of the chain 32, is bolt 32 nel members 13, the channels of which are whereby to couple the frame to the chain, directed inwardly toward each other, and and permit movement of the frame, longipivoted on the outer end of each of said tudinally of the members 13, upon rotation members is an upwardly curved strip 14, of the crank handle, for a purpose to be set 100 forth later herein. The ends are formed with the studs 36, which are received in the eyes 37, on the lower ends of the brace rods 38, said studs having openings to receive the cotter pins 39, for holding the said eyes thereon. The other ends of the brace rods 38 are loosely connected with the upper ends of the side rails of the lowermost of the ladder sections, so that a rigid triangular construction is formed between the braces 38, the members 13, and the said ladder section. In the upper webs, only, of the channel members 13, adjacent the inner ends thereof, are alining openings 39, which are adapted to receive the pins 40, for holding the frame 33 against sliding in the channels, while the device is in operation. Suitable guy ropes 41 are connected to the upper portion of an upper ladder section, and are wound on a drum 42, carried by the opposite side of the automobile, a pulley 43 being carried by the forward end of one side of the automobile, and a rearwardly extending, removable arm 44, carried by the rear of the automobile, and carrying a pulley 45, serving to guide the windable ends of theguy ropes, so that they may be drawn taut, to maintain the extended ladder a ainst side play.

It will e noted that the upper ends of the legs 19 are provided with extra sets of'openings 20, so that the support may be ad usted as to its height. Connected to the upper end portions of the side rails 15, of the lower ladder section 16, are the extensible legs or props 46, said legs or props being adapted to be swung inwardly and engaged with the adjacent ends of the double keepers 47, carried by said side rails.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the outer ends of the members 13 support the bottom of the entire ladder structure that the brace rods 38 hold the structure against outward movement; that the props '46, cooperate with said brace rods, to hold the ladder up under the weight of the workman; while the guy ropes maintain the structure against lateral swaying movement. Thus the structure is held in a rigid condition, except for the fact that a certain amount of resiliency is permitted through the action of the coil spring 24, on the bolt 23.

Upon rotating the crank handle 33, the chain 32, acting through the medium of the bolt 32', slides the frame 33 longitudinally of the channel members 13, whereby to move the lower ends of the brace rods 38 inwardly or outwardly, so as to vary the inclination of the extension ladder structure. I

To fold the device for transportation, the ladder structure is first collapsed, the lower ends of the brace rods 38 detached from the studs 36, and swung into engagement with the other of the keepers 47, carried by the lower ladder section after which the folded or collapsed ladder structure is folded down on the members 13. The legs or props 46 are collapsed and secured in the keepers 47, on the lower ladder section. The guy ropes are detached from the ladder and wound on the drum, after which the operator swings the ladder and its support around so that it extends over the end-gate of the automobile. The vehicle can then proceed to the next point of use, where the ladder can be erected, as before, in a very short time.

It will also be noted that the king bolt 23 may be disposed in any one of the openings 12, whereby to position the ladder support in different positions of the vehicle, with respect to the transverse dimension of the body, so that the ladder structure may be erected in proper position to the work.

It is sometimes found necessary to increase the height of the ladder structure, even after the same has been extended to its full height, or to drop the ladder to a lower level. T0 provide for these contin encies, I have the removable sections 48 an 49, in the respective sides 11, of the vehicle box. Ordinarily the carriage rests on the upper edge of the side 11, but when it is desired to lower the carriage, I remove the section 48, thereby permitting the carriage to rest on the upper edge of the bottom wall of the opening formed by the removal of such section; In the event that the carriage is to be raised above the level of the side 11, I remove the section 49, and place the same on the upper edge of the section 48, so that the lower ends of the strips 50 and 51, carried by this section 49, straddle the said edge of the section 48. The members 13 are then permitted to rest on the upper edge of the section 49, whereby the carriage will extend outwardly from a greater elevation than before.

Vhen it becomes necessary to move the ladder to a point farther along the road, for operation upon another portion of the telephone, or like wires, the operator folds the props 46, and engages them with the keepers 47, and rotates the crank handle 33, so as to draw the ladder to a more nearly vertical position, after which the vehicle may be propelled along the road. When the point is reached, the operator simply swings out the props 46, and swings the ladder to the proper inclination so that said ladder rests against the props, which latter are engaged in the ground.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a vehicle having a bottom and a side, of a support, means for resiliently and rotatably attaching said su port to the said bottom and arranged to he swung over and rest on said side, an extension ladder structure pivotally carried by the outer end of said support, said sup ort having wheels bearing on said bottom w ereby to permit the support to be rotated to extend to the other side or rear of the vehicle, and

bracing and guying means between the ladder structure and said support.

2. The combination with a vehicle box and a ladder structure, said vehicle box including 5 sides and a bottom having an opening, of a wheeled carriage on said bottom arranged to extend over a side and support said ladder structure, a bolt disposed through said opening and having one end engaged with the carriage above said bottom, and a spring on the bolt between said bottom and the lower end of said bolt for maintaining the wheels of said carriage engaged with said bottom. and said carriage engaged with said side.

3. The combination with a vehicle box and a ladder structure, said vehicle box including sides and a bottom, of a spring held wheeled carriage on said bottom arranged to extend across a side of the box and support said ladder structure on its outer end, a frame slidable in said carriage, braces between the frame and ladder structure, transverse shafts in the carriage, means for rotating one of the shafts, and means trained around said shafts and having connection with said frame for moving the latter, upon rotation of said shaft, whereby to vary the inclination of the ladder structure. I

4. The combination with a support, of a carriage mounted on the support and carrying a ladder structure, yieldable means between the carriage and support, said carriage including channeled side members, a frame slidable within the channeled members, brace members connected to the frame and ladder structure, transverse shafts in the carriage each having a sprocket wheel, a chain engaged around said sprocket wheels, connections between the chain and said frame, and means for rotating one of said shafts, whereby to move the frame and braces to change the inclination of the ladder structure.

5. The combination with a vehicle box and a ladder structure, of a carriage, means for rotatably supporting said carriage in the box, and pivotally supporting the ladder structure on its outer end, the ladder structure being adapted to be swung upon the carriage from a horizontal position to an approximately vertical position, the carriage being rotatable for projection from either side or rear of the vehicle box, and yieldable means between the carriage and. the box for maintaining the former in contact with the latter.

6. The combination with a vehicle box and a collapsible ladder structure, of a carriage, means for rotatably mounting said carriage in the box, said carriage being adapted to project over a side of said box, yieldable means between the carriage and box, said carriage having the ladder structure pivotally supported on its outer end for swinging movement from a horizontal position to an approximately vertical position, a member longitudinally slidable on said carriage, brace means between the said member and said ladder structure, and means for moving the said member whereby to shift the brace means and thereby vary the inclination of the ladder structure when extended.

7. An extension ladder support comprising a carriage, means for rotatably mounting said carriage on a vehicle, yieldable means 

